DMV’s facial recognition software fails to differentiate between twin sisters

Facial recognition software used by Georgia’s Department of Motor Vehicles was unable to differentiate between teenage twin sisters applying for driving permits, according to a report by WBAY.com.

The facial recognition software would not accept the individual identities of 15-year-old twin sisters — Alicia and Alicen Kennedy — of eastern Georgia.

The Georgia Department of Drivers Services’ (DDS) program is designed to prevent individuals from obtaining a driver’s license under a false identity.

Although the software is designed to recognize and identify faces, it is apparently unable to detect twins.

“We gave her our paperwork but we didn’t even get a chance to take the test because she kept saying something was wrong with the computer,” Alicia said.

She said that the system took her photo several times before prompting her to sign her signature on several occasions.

The DMV representative told the sisters that the facial recognition system identified them as “one person instead of two different people.”

After repeated attempts, the software was unable to accept the individual identities of the sisters.

The DMV is currently working with the teens to help resolve the issue so that they can obtain their driving permit as soon as possible.

Previously reported, an Electronic Frontier Foundation email campaign that saw participation from more than 1,500 Californians successfully defeated a proposal that would have allowed state law enforcement to share images from the DMV and use facial recognition technology.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  driver's license  |  face photo  |  false rejections  |  twins